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LOS ANGELES - The UCLA men’s and women’s basketball programs will join forces with UCLA basketball alumnus John Vallely, the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF) and the Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA Cancer Research Program and Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology for the sixth annual “Dribble for the Cure” on Sunday, Oct. 20.

An event that raises funds and awareness in the fight against pediatric cancers, Dribble for the Cure established a record in 2012 with net revenue of $155,395.74. Two years ago (2011), the fourth annual Dribble for the Cure brought in over 900 participants (donating over $115,000) dribbling a basketball across the UCLA campus to raise money to combat children’s cancers.

The event has grown each year with a five-year event total of over 3,500 participants contributing over half-a-million dollars ($531,395.74). Proceeds will help sustain the research to benefit children’s cancer treatment at Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA.

“The patients, families, physicians and the care givers in the Pediatric Cancer Research Program at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA are once again looking forward to working together with the UCLA basketball teams and coaches Cori Close and Steve Alford, as well as John Vallely and the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation to raise awareness in the fight to cure childhood cancer,” said Dr. Theodore B. Moore, Chief of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA. “The growing success of the ‘Dribble for the Cure’ event makes a tremendous impact on the lives of our patients and their families by providing access to clinical trials and the development of new strategies to find cures for cancer. We are anticipating another successful event this year and we are grateful for the support of the many individuals who plan to join us at the sixth-annual ‘Dribble for the Cure’.”

This year’s event will begin with registration at 8:30 a.m. at UCLA’s Drake Stadium where activity booths and entertainment will highlight a Welcome Ceremony at 10 a.m. At 10:15 a.m., ‘Dribble for the Cure VI’ will begin and each participant will bring their own basketball (or buy a basketball on site) for the 1.2 mile dribble course through UCLA’s campus. Finish Line Festivities (11:15 a.m.) will take place in Collins Court at the John R. Wooden Center. In Collins Court, participants will have the opportunity to meet for autographs and pictures with the UCLA women’s and men’s basketball teams, along with student-athletes from other Bruin athletic squads.

Team (a minimum of 10) and individual participants will be asked to collect pledges for their ‘Dribble’ and will become eligible for prizes based on pledge amounts turned in by Oct. 20. Each participant will receive a ‘Dribble for the Cure’ t-shirt and goodie bag.

For first-year UCLA men’s basketball head coach Steve Alford, this will be his first ‘Dribble for the Cure.’

"I'm very much looking forward to participating with our team in this wonderful event,” he said. “It is a privilege and honor for our staff and squad to be working with UCLA Athletics Hall of Famer John Vallely in his continued quest to find a cure for children’s cancer. Last year’s event set a donation record so our goal this year is to set a new donation record to help benefit the Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA and the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation.”

Bruin women’s basketball head coach Cori Close will be participating in her third consecutive ‘Dribble for the Cure.’

“It is an honor to partner with Mattel Children’s Hospital, the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation and John Vallely in their quest to defeat cancer,” she said. “This is a great event for UCLA and the surrounding community and the team, and I look forward to it every year. It’s a great chance to interact with doctors, patients, friends and families of those afflicted with cancer and to have a good time while we raise money for research which is desperately needed. We are looking forward to a great turnout and a record amount of money being raised this year.”

For many years, John Vallely and his family have been on the front line in the battle against cancer. A Bruin starting guard on head coach John Wooden’s 1969 and 1970 UCLA NCAA Championship men’s basketball teams and a 2006 inductee into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame, Vallely is a two-time cancer survivor and for over 20 years, a member of the PCRF Board of Directors. In 1991, John and Karen Vallely lost their daughter Erin to cancer at the age of 12.

“I am so excited for this year’s UCLA ‘Dribble for the Cure’,” Vallely said. “The event will be quite entertaining as we greet new Bruin men’s basketball head coach Steve Alford, have the continuing and enthusiastic support of UCLA women’s basketball head coach Cori Close and the support of the administration and all the student-athletes in the Bruin Athletics Department.

“Every day that you and I raise money for children's cancer research is a day we are changing people’s lives. My heart still yearns for the day when pediatric cancer is eliminated. Thanks again for all your help and I look forward to seeing you, your family and your team at our ‘Dribble for the Cure’ on Oct. 20 at UCLA.”

The Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF), celebrating its 31st anniversary, is an independent, non-profit organization, wholly dedicated to supporting the highest quality pediatric cancer research. Established in 1982, its founders – parents, doctors, friends and community leaders had a common vision, “To bring hope and lifesaving treatments to children battling cancer and to improve the care, quality of life and survival rate of children with malignant diseases.”

Since 1982 PCRF has raised over $30 million in support of laboratory research that translates into immediate treatment for children with cancer. More information is available at www.PCRF-kids.org. This year’s ‘Dribble for the Cure’ is expanding on a national scale, as St. John’s University hosts its third-annual event on Sept. 28.

Major sponsors for this year’s event at UCLA include Polly’s Pies Restaurant, BJ’s Restaurant Foundation, MIG Capital LLC, Senior Aerospace Ketema, Shulman Hodges & Bastian LLP and Smart & Final Charitable Foundation. Polly’s Pies Restaurant is owned by Eddie Sheldrake, who was a UCLA guard/forward on Coach Wooden’s first three UCLA basketball teams (1949-51) and in 2000 was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame.